Editorial
Preserving the unity of the Empire

It actually took a battle to reacquaint the Press with the St. Lawrence Branch, United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada. The local UEL branch had a booth set up right outside the Battle of Crysler's Farm Visitor's Centre over the weekend. Branch president Michael Eamer was handing out free copies of the group's spring newsletter.
Branch treasurer Sandra Shouldice was also staffing the booth Saturday afternoon. She mentioned that at one point in time, the Press published notices of their upcoming events. There's no reason the UELs shouldn't start sending their press releases again.

Shouldice said promoting the UEL branch at the third annual Crysler's Farm military pageant was a natural fit. She explained that all re-enactors are avid historians, and the UEL organization is based on history and genealogy. It's basically the Canadian version of the Mayflower Society in the United States.

The weekend's hostilities put the UELs in the limelight. The third annual weekend of battle re-enactments on the grounds of the Battle of Crysler's Farm Monument reproduced the Revolutionary period during the years 1775-77. Instead of reproducing the local 1813 victory, the Friends of the Battlefield who organized the event shifted its focus to the years when Canada was defending its borders against the American Revolution. While Upper Canadians can sit and cluck their tongues about their victories during the War of 1812, the original rift began much earlier.

The participants in last weekend's re-enactments were a group of dedicated historians, focused on the period when the British, French, 13 Colonies and native North Americans all had somewhat equal influence over the Canadian/American border.

There have always been Ontarians who have followed a strong interest in the Revolutionary War period. Many of them now re-enact with recreated military companies based in the northeastern U.S. Many of the British troops last weekend were Americans who came to camp next to Upper Canada Village. The modern-day Canadians fighting with these companies said they were thrilled to have an event in eastern Ontario.

The major Loyalist re-enactment clubs focused on the Revolutionary period generally depict military units which distinguished themselves during battles fought in northern New York state. Many of the loyalists in New York who joined the British forces, became the UELs who settled along the river in South Dundas Township.

The weekend's battlefield narrator quipped that the rolls of the Provincial (Loyalist) Corps from the time following the UEL immigration reads like the present-day Morrisburg phone book. The refugees who settled English Ontario came from the present-day U.S. The UEL St. Lawrence Branch currently has 94 members, most of whom trace their families back to UEL forbearers. A large part of their purpose is to assist United County residents in accessing genealogical information relating to the Loyalists. Descendants are encouraged to affix the letters "UE" following their names.
C.Z.